In Sorong, Thursday, Domestic Affairs Minister Tito Karnavian, through his Special Staff for Village and Border Development Hairuddin Hasibuan, explained that in order to lower the stunting prevalence rate, the provincial government should ensure that the APBD is well-managed and accurately distributed to all regencies and cities.
"APBD spending realization should be conducted based on relevant data so as to accurately allocate it for pertinent purposes," Hasibuan stated.
Based on the Indonesian Nutritional Status Survey (SSGI) of 2022, the stunting prevalence rate fell, from 24.4 percent in 2021 to 21.6 percent during the survey year period.
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However, he said, the feat had yet to meet the 2022 National Mid Term Development Plan (RPJMN) target of 18.4 percent.
"We are still short of a 4.6-percent decline to achieve the 14-percent target by 2024," he noted.
Furthermore, in order to achieve the target, Hasibuan highlighted the need to focus on the two areas of revenue realization planning and systematic data-based spending to facilitate evaluation of every work program.
"The APBD should also be monitored and evaluated by conducting a meeting between governor and regents/mayors," he stated.
As a newly created province, Southwest Papua needs all of its parties to be committed to persistently overseeing and managing the APBD realization.
"A properly-managed APBD will help lower the stunting rate to be in line with the national target," Hasibuan affirmed.
In the long term, he pointed out that stunting will have negative impacts both on children's physical and psychological development that in turn will lead to economic losses and present an obstacle to Indonesia's economic productivity in general.
"All parties in the province should pay attention to this matter. I believe that serious efforts in ensuring the APBD realization will preserve our children's future," he remarked.
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Translator: Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Yuni Arisandy Sinaga
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